Exchange with Alan Dershowitz about "The Religious Thought of Hasidism" (1999)

/ / / / / Exchange with Alan Dershowitz about "Th…

Correspondence

November 1999-March 2000

Exchange with Alan Dershowitz about "The Religious Thought of Hasidism" (1999)

Chasidim & Mitnagdim

1. Alan Dershowitz to R. Lamm

1. Alan Dershowitz to R. Lamm (Nov. 24, 1999)

1. Alan Dershowitz to R. Lamm (Nov. 24, 1999)

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Correspondence

Exchange with Eli Mallon about "Torah Lishmah" and the Hasidic View of Divine Immanence (1997)

Dear Dr. Lamm, I'm reading your excellent study of R. Haim of Volozhin. Of course, it's no mystery why you would do this, given his place in the (you should pardon the expression) evolution of Modern Orthodoxy. You reiterated the Orthodox/Misnagid position re: Divine Immanence – i.e. if G-d is in everything, everywhere, in the sense taught by Hasidut, it may cause them to make no halachic distinction between clean and unclean, and therefore the Divine Name could be mentioned in inappropriate places.However, I don't think it's the necessary conclusion. Water is water and wood is wood; no Hasid would try to set water on fire for warmth in winter. In Kabbalah, only in Atzilut do distinctions cease; in all else – Yetzirah, Briah, Asiyah, multiplicity must still be considered. These "worlds" represent different levels of perception, or "consciousness," if you will. Only on the level of ״Atzilut" is the truth of ״Achdut" (i.e. Ehn Od: there's nothing other than G-d) also a truth of experience. On the physical level: always multiplicity. The highest development of life (in this world) would actually encompass all four. There can be distinctions, even in a world filled with G-d.The subsequent history of Hasidut demonstrates that, whatever variations in observance they made based on their belief-system, their fundamental allegiance to halachah has been unshakeable.For the record, I'm neither Orthodox nor Hasidic. But I can appreciate the importance of these issues, and derive deep satisfrom your presentation of them.Sincerely,Eli Mallon

Chasidim & Mitnagdim

Correspondence

Letter from Dr. Eliach about "The Religious Thought of Hasidism" (1999)

Dear President Lamm: Congratulations upon the publication of your new book The Religious Thought of Hasidism – Text and Commentary. It includes many important elements of Hasidism and is a fine contribution to the study of Hasidism. I hope it will become a college textbook, which will also be a great asset to my seminars on Hasidism. Among the very interesting themes, I did not find references to my interpretation of the origins of Hasidism, which was the subject of articles as well as my dissertation Jewish Hasidism, Russian Sectarians and Non-Conformists in the Ukraine, 1700–1760. (When I wrote my dissertation, my Professor of Jewish History and dissertation guide was Prof. Salo W. Baron.) Recently it also became part of scholarship and research at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. They too were able to prove this theory from original source material from Eastern Europe, as I did during my research. Once more, congratulations on your new book and much success with future ones. All the best, Professor Yaffa Eliach, Professor of History and Literature. Home Address: 300 East 54th Street, Apt. 23K, New York, NY 10022, Tel: (212) 319-2927 – Fax: (212) 751-7932.

Chasidim & Mitnagdim

Correspondence

Letter from R. Charlop about "The Religious Thought of Hasidism" (1999)

לכבוד עמיתי הדגול מרבבה האי גברא רבה ויקירא דרופתקא דאורייתא אנפירון נמטייה לראש ישיבתנו הקדושה ונשיאה הרה"ג ר' נחום לאם שליט"א אחדשוכ"ט, הידד ויישר חילו לאורייתא על ספרו המפליא בכל מובן על החסידות שהו"ל בימים אלה ואשר הואיל בטובו הגדול לשלוח לי את הנכס הדגול והחשוב הזה. הן כתוכנו ובסגנונו הצח, הן בהקפו ובשלמותו ובשליטתו על החומר הוא גישם במדה נדירה מאד את הפתגם של חז"ל, "חזקה על חבר שאינו מוציא מתחת ידו דבר שאינו מתוקן."

Chasidim & Mitnagdim